Coming to NYC’s Angelika this Friday, October 14: CONNECTED
Tiffany Schlain’s directorial debut about technology and interdependence premiered at Sundance. The film already screened theatrically in California and Seattle, expanding for a one-week NYC run this Friday.
I profiled the film before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Releases, Sundance
Coming to LA’s Downtown Independent today, Friday, October 7, with additional cities later this month and next: THE SWELL SEASON
A trio of directors follow the real-life story of the couple from the Academy Award-winning ONCE in this intimate doc, which premiered at Tribeca and opened Silverdocs.
I wrote about the film out of Tribeca here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases
Dear Documentary Filmmakers: Your struggles to make your film are too insular to serve as its focus.
I’ve already written at length about the unfortunate trend of filmmakers including themselves in their documentaries when their presence is not really necessary, so I’m not going to dwell too much on that issue here. My concern here is related, but broader – meta filmmaking.
Filed under Dear Documentary Filmmakers, Documentary, Film
Coming to theatres this Friday, October 7: HELL AND BACK AGAIN
War correspondent Danfung Dennis made his documentary feature debut at Sundance earlier this year with his portrait of a soldier back from war. After picking up two jury awards there, the film has screened extensively and had an Oscar-qualifying run this summer as part of Docuweeks.
My pre-Sundance profile of the film may be found here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance
Coming to NYC’s IFC Center this Friday, October 7: INCENDIARY: THE WILLINGHAM CASE
Steve Mims and Joe Bailey Jr’s exposé of a case of alleged arson and murder premiered at SXSW earlier this year, where it picked up the Louis Black/Lone Star Jury Award. With the tragic consequences of the death penalty recently in the headlines with the Troy Davis case, this release is timely.
I wrote about the film out of Silverdocs here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to Brooklyn’s reRun Gastropub Theatre for one week beginning this Friday, October 7: EVERYDAY SUNSHINE: THE STORY OF FISHBONE
Lev Anderson and Chris Metzler’s in-depth profile of the acclaimed alternative band made its premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival last year and has played the festival circuit extensively. reRun hosts the film’s NYC theatrical premiere.
I wrote about the film out of SXSW here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases
Coming to NYC as part of Latin Media and Entertainment Week this coming Monday, October 3: LA TOMA/THE SIEGE
Angus Gibson and Miguel Salazar’s gripping account of the 1985 siege of Bogota, Colombia’s Palace of Justice made its US premiere earlier this summer as part of the Human Rights Watch Film Festival. Cinema Tropical brings the film back to NYC during LMEW for a free screening at the New York Times Building (to attend RSVP as directed at the LMEW link above).
The film relates the shocking assault on the government building that housed Colombia’s Supreme Court by a guerilla group known as M-19. For 27 hours, the guerillas hold hundreds of citizens hostage, including the Supreme Court Justices. After the military breaks the siege in a violent firefight, scores are dead, but, strangely, a dozen people vanish. Despite denials, many believe they were “disappeared” by the government for alleged collaboration with the guerillas, and 25 years later, their families lead the charge to find out what happened that day. To tell the story, Gibson and Salazar employ remarkable footage of the siege that was shot on the ground as the action unfolded, lending the doc a freshness and immediacy that is truly riveting. Unlike many other films about the disappeared, the film’s focus on a trial against the leader of the military operation, Colonel Plazas Vega, provides a welcome sense of resolution to the story. With such instances of people “vanishing” sadly all-too-common in other regimes in Central and South America, the families’ case resonates with hope for a return to justice.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations
In commemoration of Rosh Hashanah, this week’s indieWIRE-curated Hulu documentaries offers up a series of unique portraits of Jewish lives and Jewish identity, past and present. View all of these docs for free now!
For more information about the selections, see my iW article.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Indiewire @ Hulu Docs, Recommendations
Coming to theatres tomorrow, Friday, September 30: SARAH PALIN: YOU BETCHA!
Toronto played host to the world premiere of British doc bad boy Nick Broomfield’s search for the real Sarah Palin. Freestyle Releasing has picked up the film for theatrical release that begins in NY, LA, and SF tomorrow.
Earlier this month, I wrote about the film in my Toronto coverage here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Releases
Coming to DVD next Tuesday, October 4: BUCK
Cindy Meehl’s portrait of the real Horse Whisperer, Buck Brannaman, has inspired audiences and critics since its world premiere at Sundance earlier this year. It has claimed Audience Awards at Sundance and Full Frame, and had a successful theatrical run that began in the Summer.
I profiled the film before Sundance here.
Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Releases, Sundance
